DOMS is delayed-onset muscle soreness, the ache that peaks a day or two after unfamiliar effort.
It is expected after a new load or a lot of eccentric work. In 📝Sports Therapy it is distinguished from sharp, swelling, or worsening pain — those follow the 📝referral rule. DOMS is a sensation range, not a diagnosis of a tear, and not a badge that the session "worked." Light movement usually eases it; more aggressive table work the next morning often does not.
Clients feel used, not injured. Sharp, numb, or unexplained pain is a stop and, if it persists, a licensed clinician.